UB has extended its deadline for admitted applicants to register for the fall 2024 semester amid delays in the federal financial aid process.

What is normally a May 1 deadline to submit a deposit has been pushed to May 15 this year, in alignment with new guidance from SUNY. Additionally, UB, will offer as much flexibility as possible to help students and their families make an informed decision leading up to and after the May 15 deposit deadline.

Likewise, the deadline to apply for campus housing for fall 2024 also has been extended to May 24.

The U.S. Education Department has been making changes to the form and formula of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, so that it is easier to complete and offers more help to lower-income students. But that also has delayed when colleges and university will receive any FAFSA information on students this year.

The rationale for selecting May 15 was to ensure enough time prior to the beginning of the fall semester, providing students adequate support for academic advisement, course registration, placement exams, campus housing and orientation, say Christopher Connor, interim vice provost for enrollment management, and Ebony Dixon, associate vice provost and director of admissions and enrollment.

UB’s admissions and financial aid offices for several months have been hosting in-person and virtual sessions for prospective students and their families. They plan on increasing the frequency of those sessions as more information and aid packages are released. UB is able to identify potential issues and questions from prospective students based on feedback from its High School Advisory Council, which is comprised of guidance counselors from across New York, as well as several other states.

“We are offering individualized support and guidance to newly admitted students who may be experiencing financial uncertainties or who need assistance in addressing concerns due to the delay of FAFSA information,” Connor says.  

“Students are encouraged to connect with us by making a one-on-one virtual appointment, attending one of the virtual financial aid sessions and visiting us on campus,” Dixon says.